Nice Guys Finish Last
by neo-Aeris144
Summary: Nice guys finish last. I've only heard that phrase a BILLION times. But I still try to be nice. I really do. [one-shot, Kuwabara's POV]


I have said it before, and I'll say it again. I think Kuwabara's cool. He's ugly, and a little stupid sometimes, but he's a nice guy. As a matter of fact, I'm noticing more and more people in the same boat as me. I believe it's the start of the Kuwabara Revolution! And I'm glad to be a part of it. So, here's a one-shot, dedicated to the orange-haired goof-ball himself. (Oh, yeah, [insert typical disclaimer here])  
  
~ Nice Guys Finish Last ~  
  
Nice guys finish last.  
  
If I had a cracker for every time someone told me that phrase, I would probably be able to end world hunger. I guess most people think that saying applies to me.  
  
Nice guys finish last.  
  
But what does it really mean? I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean that nice guys lose races. And I don't think it means nice guys take a long time to do stuff, either. As philosophers would say, "it has a deeper meaning".  
  
Nice guys finish last.  
  
Ah, who am I fooling. I know what it means. It means the nice guys help everyone else, only to get left behind where it counts. But, hey, don't get me wrong. I still think I'm a nice guy. Well, I try to be.  
  
It's harder than it looks, actually, being nice. Sometimes doing things for other people helps you in no way what-so-ever. Sometimes it just wastes your time. Sometimes it's really hard to do the right thing, and you don't even do it correctly.  
  
But I still try.  
  
Why?  
  
.............  
  
Let me get back to you on that.  
  
I lean back lazily and sigh deeply, only now realizing how bored I was. Yusuke was on a date with Keiko, so I couldn't beat his face in today. Kurama was working on several school projects, not leaving much time to do fun stuff, like going to the arcade. Hiei didn't even have a social life, and even if he did, I wouldn't want to be a part of it. My dearest Yukina was gone, at her home in Ice Land. Or, where ever she lives.  
  
I was trying to waste the day at the ice cream parlor, but time only appeared to slow down here. It seemed that one guy has been looking over the flavors for the last half hour. I wasn't actually here to eat ice cream, just to be somewhere where it's air-conditioned. It was so hot outside, HIEI would feel uncomfortable. You know, the FIRE demon?   
  
That's pretty darned hot, if I do say so myself.  
  
My thoughts, or rather, my absence of, were interrupted by a small whimpering. I let my eyes scan the parlor, too lazy to actually move my head. In the corner, by the drinking fountain, there was a small girl whimpering. She was shaking slightly and her long, brown hair covered her face. She seemed frightened and alone.  
  
I glanced around the room to see if anyone was possibly related to the kid, but it seemed no one else noticed her. I felt sorry for the little runt, so I decided to see what the matter was. I casually walked over and leaned down, so I'd be at eye level with her.  
  
"Hey, kid, something wrong?" I ask, sounding as nice as I could. She sniffled a little and looked up at, a bit frightened.  
  
"I lost my mommy," she said quietly. I realized she couldn't be older than seven, the poor thing.  
  
"Well ..... uh ..... When was the last time you saw her?" I questioned, not really knowing what to do.   
  
"I don't know. Me and her were walking outside an' I wanted some ice creme, but she said no, but I still wanted some, so I came in and then she was gone," the runt squeaked, small tears forming at the corner of her eyes.  
  
Can you believe that? A mother denying her child the god-given right to eat ice creme. Parents these days, they just don't know how to raise kids, I tell ya.  
  
"Do you want me to help you find your mom?" I offered. It was the least I could do, being the nice guy. The little girl merely nodded, her hair falling over her small face.  
  
"I'm Kazuma Kuwabara," I said with a smile, trying to make her feel comfortable, "What's your name, kid?"   
  
"Dana," she said so quietly I could barley hear. The poor girl still seemed nervous, so I decided to do something nice for her.  
  
"Before we go looking for your mom, we can get some of that ice cream you wanted," I told her, motioning to the variety of flavors.  
  
"Really? But Mommy said I couldn't," Dana looked up hopefully.  
  
"When we find her, I'll tell her it's my fault you had ice cream. Besides, she's not here right now, anyway," I pointed out as I walked with her over to the counter. She shyly followed, lightly stepping behind me.  
  
"So, whaddya want?" I asked. She pressed her face against the glass, her eyes scanning the flavors.   
  
"I want that one," she announced, pointing to something in the freezer.   
  
"Alrighty. One sugar cone, with two scoops of Carmel Swirl," I ordered to the guy behind the counter. He quickly scuttled over and scooped the ice cream into a fairly large cone. I handed him the money, and he handed me the cone.  
  
"Two scoops?" Dana asked, looking at her treat quizzically.  
  
"You don't want two scoops?" I asked, worried that I wasted an extra fifty cents.  
  
"No, I've never had it before," she said, reaching out with both hands to take her gift.  
  
"There's a first time for everything," I smiled as she started licking the snack with joy.  
  
"Oh! I almost forgot! Domo arigato, Kazuma-san," she thanked with a slight bow. I quirked my eyebrow in surprise. Not many people call me by my first name, and it sounded sorta weird.  
  
"You can just call me Kuwabara," I told her. She tilted her head and seemed to examine me.  
  
"No, I like Kazuma better," Dana said with a smile. She was definitely feeling more comfortable and relaxed, slowly whittling down her ice cream cone. She was very cute and friendly, and I was happy to help her out.  
  
"Whatever you say, Dana-chan."  
  
I took her outside into the heat, but it didn't bother me as much as it did before. I walked along side Dana for a few minutes, looking left and right to see if I could find her mom.  
  
Then I realized I didn't know what her mom looked like.  
  
"Dana, what does your mom look like?" I asked, scratching my head.  
  
"Um....well," Dana said, taking a bite of her cone, "She looks like-"  
  
"Dana Lori Garretson! I have been searching high and low for you for the last ten minutes! Where in the heavens have you been?" came a loud voice from behind us. I quickly turned around to find a middle aged women, holding her hips and tapping her foot impatiently.  
  
"Mommy!" Dana cheered with a grateful smile. She gulped down the last bite of her ice cream cone and hugged her mom with a giant squeeze around the waist.  
  
"Don't 'mommy' me, young lady! I have been worried to death! I turn around and you're gone! This is the LAST time you sneak off alone!" the mother bent down, shaking a finger at her child.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. But Kazuma-san helped me find you!" Dana told her, pointing to me.   
  
"You got help from a stranger?! And did he give you that ice cream!? Dana, that is very irresponsible! A million of things could have happened to you! If I have told you once, I've told you too many times: never talk to strangers!" Dana's mom grabbed her by the wrist, "Now, come along, we're going to be late to Grandpa's."  
  
"Bye-bye, Kazuma!" Dana looked back at me while her mother pulled her along.  
  
Do you see what I mean? I helped her daughter out and she even got MAD at Dana for it. I didn't really get anything in return, except a wallet that was a little bit emptier.  
  
But still, It gave me a warm feeling inside knowing that I helped a person in need. (Sounds cheesier than a plate of nachos, I know). Heck, I even gave her her very first double scoop ice-cream cone!  
  
You know when I said I'd get back to you on why I try to be good? Well, I think I just found out.  
  
Nice guys DO finish last.  
  
But they have a better time getting there.  
  
~ Fin ~ 


End file.
